I don’t game so I’ve been unable to help him learn. He played a couple of days last year at ConnectiCon but we haven’t found a regular nearby game either that could keep him going. That means he has to start from scratch and he was determined to acquire and master the Red Box on his own, so he could run his own game with a combination of family and friends.

He was so focused on the Red Box that he skipped out of my panel to go search the exhibition floor and the tabletop gaming area. He came up empty. We searched again after the panel was over had no better luck. He did spend two hours playing D&D Next: Danger at Darkshelf Quarry and I commend those running the games for allowing single players to join the groups learning the new game. My son pronounced it “easier” than the original game but he was still determined to buy a Red Box.

Unfortunately, the only one he found was a store next to the D&D booth was far out of the price range I’d given him to spend. But unknown to him, the guys working at the booth decided to help and put a game together for him (quite literally behind their curtain) and simply gave it to him.

He hugged them. Heck, I hugged them. They said they wanted especially to encourage young gamers. Given that he’s spent today home sick but going through the contents of the box, including all the manuals, I’d say that part was a success.

Thanks, guys, from a very grateful parent.

Corrina Lawson is a writer, mom, geek and superhero. All of these things are true, just not always together on the same day.